ENCROACHING DARKNESS

Church of Thena, Todos, Todos Kingdom

Christina had a hard time sitting still as she sat on the edge of her bed. She’d been waiting years for this day, the day she would officially become a full fledged priestess. Like the others that would take their vows today, she wanted to be excited, but she could only think of everything that could go wrong as she fidgeted with the hem of her robe.

Every month, initiates were chosen to become priests and priestesses. The only difference was that Christina appeared to have skipped the initiate stage altogether, inevitably drawing the jealousy of initiates who had been there for months and still hadn’t been chosen.

“Nya! Sit still! I can’t comb your hair if you keep shaking your head!” Esaa complained from behind her. The feisty feline had kindly offered to comb her hair for the big day. Naturally Teta had come to watch, swinging her feet off the end of the bunk bed as she watch Christina break down into a nervous wreck.

’I worked hard too! Just because you didn’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not true!’ Christina thought as she eyed some of the spiteful initiates that dared to say she was chosen because she pretty. Just the sight of them was enough to set her teeth on edge.

“Dang-it Christina! You need to relax!” Esaa protested sternly as she struggled to divide the hair into segments.

“I know, I know!” Christina said and took a deep breath. Today was her day, and she refused to let anyone ruin it. After all, she had her friends beside her, even though one of them was invisible.

Teta, who had been sitting quietly beside her, suddenly moved closer and was watching her intently through her round spectacles.

“What is it?” Christina asked nervously. Teta was always pointing out things, regardless of whether one wanted to hear them. A fact that would not change today.

“Bald spot.” she said flatly, pointing just above her ear.

“What!?” Christina screamed out in panic. Esaa had to use her beast-like strength to keep her friend from jumping up.

“Teta, don’t rile her up! She won’t sit still as it is!” the she-cat said as she lashed her tail. “There’s is no bald spot, Christina. She’s just trynna lighten the mood.”

“Are you sure?” Christina asked, misty eyed. She looked like she’d break into tears any second.

Esaa sighed heavily, then she pointed her comb at the culprit. “You! Is there really a bald spot!?” Teta shook her head rapidly, causing her pigtails to swish. “See! Now would you please let me finish!? It’s almost time for the ceremony!”

Christina settled down again, but not before she sent an icy glare Teta’s way. “Not funny.” she said, but the pint-sized initiate wasn’t easily intimidated. When she stuck out her tongue, Christina couldn’t stop the small smile that spread on her face.

’My friends are here for me, so today can only get better! If only Thadius were here, I hope he’s okay.’ she thought, remaining motionless as Esaa focused on braiding her hair into an intricate ponytail. Not long after, one of the priests came to gather the initiates.

“All done, and just in time too!” Esaa declared patting her on the back. “Now all you have to do is make sure you don’t trip on your robe!” she smiled.

“Is it too long? It’s too long isn’t!?” Christina jumped up. “Oh! If only I had a needle and thread-”

“I was kidding!” Esaa pouted, flicking Christina on the shoulder with her tail. It didn’t do much to the initiate. To make matters worse, Teta joined in, tugging on Christina’s robe saying “Too long.” Which earned her another earful from Esaa.

Most of the other chosen initiates were filing out the door by time Christina said goodbye to her friends. She hugged them both fiercely. “I’m going to miss being in here with you two. I wish you could go with me!” she said.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be right behind you! They won’t let us in the temple during the ceremony, but they didn’t say we couldn’t peek!” Esaa said. Her eyes light up with mischief, and Christina could only laugh at her friend’s optimism.

“Christina Tristan?” a priest called from the stairwell.

“Coming!” Christina answered as she walked through the door.

From the top of the stairs, she immediately recognized the priest that gave her the tour on her first day. His bald spot and gangly features were all too easy to distinguish. Christina had to resist the urge to cringe as she walked past him.

“Good morning, Christina.” he greeted her. As she passed, he followed right behind her. If he leaned forward, he would be close enough to whisper in her ear.

“Good morning, Brother Shawn.” she replied as she fell in line behind the other initiates. Instead of returning to the front of the line with the other priests leading the procession, he hung back and walked beside her.

“You remembered my name?” Shawn smiled. The sight was enough to turn any stomach.

“Of course, I try to learn all the names of our brothers and sisters.” she replied kindly with a smile.

“And that’s why you’re the best Christina…” he said sweetly, then he moved in so close that their shoulders touched every few steps. “You know, it’s been a few days since your friend came around...Is he alright? I haven’t heard any news from the coliseum about-Thadius, was it?”

’He’s not dead you rat!’ Christina thought as she turned to the over-confident priest.

Despite her irritation at the priest’s suggestive tone, Christina managed to maintain her friendly face. “Oh, you didn’t hear? He’s on an excursion in the Mists of Croaka with the city guard. He said something about quelling his bloodlust on monsters instead of men since it eased his conscience. I’m sure that’s why you haven’t heard any news of him. He’s quite adventurous you know, so I’m sure he’ll get tired of it after a day.” She waved her hand nonchalantly. “Truth be told, I wouldn’t be surprised if he walked in here right now…” she said, taking a meaningful glance down the hall.

Christina’s smile was genuine as she watched the blood drain from the Brother Shawn’s face. Then when he shuffled to the head of the procession, she sighed with relief.

“I really don’t like him. The way he always tries to touch girls just seems wrong.”

Christina barely stopped herself from jumping as a voice came from directly beside. Given the past few days, she was still getting used to fact that Yuna showed up whenever she was alone. The tiny Goddess still chose to hide herself from anyone but her, making it especially hard to talk to her, lest she be accused of talking to herself.

Christina bowed her head as if in prayer, in the hope that anyone who glanced her way would see nothing but an initiate speaking to her god one last time before the ceremony. “He’s not so bad. You just have to know how to talk to him.” she replied.

“Talk? Half of the things he says are lies. His entire way of life is a lie.” Yuna whispered.

“You can’t call someone a liar just because you don’t like what they say Yuna.” Christina countered.

“I know when someone’s lying, and he does it all the time.” Yuna sighed and went silent as a priest passed by.

“What do you mean you know when someone’s lying? How can you tell?” Christina asked. It was the first time she had heard anything about this.

“It’s hard to explain... I just get really annoyed when someone lies. I can’t prove it though, and it didn’t really happen when I was around Thadius and Master.” Yuna replied softly.

“But I’m sure even Thadius told a lie or two…”

“It’s not the same!” Yuna said. It was a little too loud though, causing the initiate in front of Christina to turn around curiously. Yuna waited until the coast was clear. “The little lies that Thadius told were nothing. But in here...every time I turn around someone is covering up for something or hiding something important from someone else. I don’t like it here Christina…”

Christina’s heart sank as she mulled over her friend’s words. All this time she’d been concerned about herself and never asked Yuna how she was or how she was feeling. While she was laughing and playing with her friends, Yuna had been alone with a frustrating feeling that she could not shake.

As stealthy as she could, Christina reached for where she thought Yuna’s hand could be. After a moment, the feeling of warmth wrapped around fingers. “How about we go celebrate afterwards? Once I’m a Priestess, I’ll be able to go into the city, so we could walk around and see the sights. Oh! Maybe we should get something tasty to eat!” Christina whispered excitedly.

“It would be nice to get out here, I guess.” Yuna mumbled.

“Then it’s settled!” Christina smiled, giving her friend’s hand a light squeeze before returning her attention to the line ahead of her.

The procession had come to the main corridor, and all the initiates were being lead into the heart of the church. The pure white stone flooring changed to polished marble as Christina walked into the church proper. The pews were all hand made from a dark wood, and they were all intricately carved with different depictions of the Goddess Thena and her children. In every depiction, the Gods were formed from the same marble as the floor, which made them stand out as the initiates made their way up to the altar. Then beyond the altar, looking down on them all, was a statue of Thena with her golden robes shining in the morning light.

The ceremony was held at the foot of the statue. Each initiate would walk behind the altar, kneel before it, and pray to Thena after drinking from a golden goblet of holy water. Should Thena approve of the initiate, they would then take the vows of the Goddess and would be given a fraction of her power in the form of a skill.

The entire process was rather quick. The only reason it was even called a ceremony was because of what followed. Once all the successful initiates were seated, the High Priest himself would make a speech about the responsibilities and duty of priests and priestesses of Thena.

The High Priest Nigel was waiting for the initiates at the altar with the golden cup. He was a tall, slender man like most of the priests, but unlike the others, he never seemed to smile. High cheekbones gave him a seemingly long face that accented the hawk-like eyes that stared out from behind his glasses.

As the initiates went up one by one, the High Priest would speak a few words and then hand them the goblet to sip. If an initiate was successful, signified by the light of Thena shining down upon them, he would then hand them a note as certification and usher them off to the pews to await his speech. There were no words of congratulations, and no kind gestures were offered to the newfound priests and priestesses.

This did little to settle Christina’s heart as she approached the altar. The initiate before her had failed to gain Thena’s favor, and he’d been taken away in tears.

“Christina Tristan. Step forward.” Nigel called.

Christina walked around to stand in front of the High Priest. He paused as he looked down at her.

“I’ve heard a great deal about you, Ms. Tristan. You’ve excelled at your studies, and you are earnest in your prayer. Yet, never would I have chosen you to take vows so soon. Especially when others have worked harder to get here.” Nigel gave her a hard look, and Christina suddenly felt small standing in front of the man.

A few of the initiates that shared a room with her snickered in line behind them, but the same look from the High Priest silenced them immediately. When he turned back to Christina, the glare was gone, replaced by a much softer look. “Fortunately for you, I received a very special letter today. A letter from the High Priestess of Yune.”

Christina went still at the mention of the High Priestess. The woman had been a part of an event that blinded her for almost five years, only to have Thadius come and undo her work in the name of the very Goddess she’d punished Christina for praying to.

’What could she have she have said?’ Christina’s brow furrowed as she gave it thought. Nigel was quick to satisfy her curiosity.

“The letter...contained a heartfelt apology, and a recommendation for an initiate she says is ‘The most sincere and tenacious young woman I’ve ever seen.’” Nigel said. Christina’s eyes went wide.

“I could scarcely believe it myself, that such a strict women could speak so kindly of another person.” he continued. “Then I read a story about a young girl who was stricken blind for doing her duty. This girl, who had clearly been wronged, accepted her fate and was determined to dedicate the rest of her life to regaining the favor of the very Goddess that took her sight. She toiled for years, selling flowers with the hope that one day she would be forgiven. I was moved...”

Christina clutched at her heart as sobs racked her body and tears streamed down her face. Onlookers, hearing Christina’s story for the first time, looked at her as if they were meeting her for the first time.

“So you can imagine,” Nigel continued, “that when the nomination for the young girl - now a young woman- crossed my desk, why I didn’t hesitate to approve it…”

Christina was beside herself as she listened to the High Priest. She had always wondered if the High Priestesses had regret what she’d done, or whether she had done what she did because she’d always resented her in some way. Yet the same woman who had stopped her from reaching this moment, was now the very reason she standing here.

“So I say to you, Christina Tristen. Drink, for you have truly earned it…” Nigel said softly as he held out the goblet. Christina quickly wiped her eyes and reached out for the cup, taking a sip and handing it back as others did before her.

When she turned for the statue of Thena, a quiet fell on the room. Whether out of respect, or in awe of the story they’d just heard, no one made a sound as they watched her kneel.

’Tegaia, it was you who gave Thadius the power to return my sight. If it is your will, I offer a life of service as gratitude.’ she prayed. Despite being in a Church dedicated to Thena, she never intended to pledge the Goddess of Beauty, not when she owed so much to the Goddess of Love.

Moments passed as Christina kneeled at the statue, but nothing happened. Her heart kicked into high gear, thinking that something had gone wrong or that there was something she forgot to do. Then when the shocked murmurs of the spectators reached her ears, she feared the worse.

A hand was placed on her shoulder, and she looked up with trembling hands, knowing that she had failed. Yet when she looked up, the person standing beside her was the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen, wearing what could only be the Godsteel she’d heard about in legends.

“You’re…” Christina’s voice caught in her throat as she gaze upon perfection.

“I am.” Tegaia smiled.

Christina chewed on her lip while she looked back at the waiting initiates. This was surely a vision, and no one would believe her even if she told them. Yet, the looks on everyone’s faces as they gawked at the deity set her heart racing anew.

“Did you just think me a figment of your imagination? After I came all this way just to see you?” Tegaia laughed. The sound echoed softly in the room.

“I-I’m so sorry!” Christina bowed her head immediately. A Goddess had come to see her personally.

“Now, now. Raise your head child. I won’t have you groveling at my feet. It’s your day after all, isn’t it? I wanted to be here, especially since I missed the initiation of my first priestess.” Tegaia moved to stand in front of her. “Now, love is a powerful force, Christina. It can drive one to do both great and terrible things. But you must keep your heart open to it, for a heart that cannot love is truly lost. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” she nodded.

“Love must also be protected, for there are evils in this world that strive to take what we hold dearest. Do you swear to protect those you care for? Will you fight when evil threatens those closest to you?” Tegaia asked. Her every syllable heavy with magic and expectations as she forged the pact.

“I swear it.” Christina replied. She would do so without hesitation.

“What if it costs you your life to protect your loved ones? Would you value your life more than theirs? If you are to serve me, you must understand that all life is equal. Your life is just as precious as mine. Even though I am immortal, my life is still subject to forces I cannot control. If you can learn to see life as I do, love and war will take on completely different meanings. Will you try?” Tegaia asked.

“I will.” Christina nodded again in earnest.

“Good.” Tegaia smiled and stretched out her hand. “I give you Barrier, to protect you and all those under your care. If your will is strong, it will never fail you. Now, rise Priestess.”

Christina stood, and when she met Tegaia’s warm smile, she beamed. She turned to walk towards to the pews, but the Goddess stopped her.

“Not so fast, we still have much to discuss.” She called to her, then she looked to Nigel. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to have the room with her.” she said.

One of the priests stepped forward. “But this is Thena’s church! You can’t just-”

“Show some respect! You are in the presence of a God you fool!” Nigel roared. All the attendants were taken aback by his passionate outburst. “Forgive me milady, we don’t choose our priests or priestesses for their etiquette.” Nigel bowed deeply.

“Don’t be too hard on them. Thena and I aren’t exactly on the best of terms.” Tegaia smiled.

“You’re too kind.” Nigel bowed again, then he turned to the crowd. “We will continue the ceremony momentarily. For now, we’ll wait in the hall.”

“Thank you, Nigel.” Tegaia nodded in gratitude.

“Milady...” Nigel bowed once more. Before he turned to head for the doors, the slightest shade of red could be seen on his cheeks.

“It truly is a waste that men like him follow Thena. He could be out there in the world, fighting for what's right and good. Instead, he's buried under paperwork and being bullied into approving half-trained initiates for combat." Tegaia shook her head as she watched the high priest leave, then she turned to Christina. "Fortunately, some initiates are more prepared than others." She smiled as she walked over to a pew to sit down.

"Come, sit with me." She patted the spot next to her. "Now that my duty as a Goddess is done, we can talk as women."

"Talk as women?" Christina frowned as she came to sit beside Tegaia. She couldn't possibly imagine the Goddess as a normal woman. The way her hair cascaded down her armor in waves of gold and brunette, and the brilliant glow of her silver eyes clearly marked her as divine.

"Oh, before we begin-Yuna hand me that goblet would you please?" Tegaia asked, staring knowingly into the space next to the altar.

Yuna revealed herself with a dissatisfied huff and obliged. Handing the goblet to the smiling Goddess. "You've gotten a lot better at hide-and-seek haven't you? I hardly perceived you at all."

"You still found me..." Yuna said as she moved to sit on the altar, holding her head in her hand as she sulked.

"Now..." Tegaia tossed the contents of the goblet onto the floor. Christina's eyes nearly popped out their sockets. "Oh, it'll dry quickly. Don't worry." The Goddess assured her before conjuring a wine skin from thin air. "Besides, I'm sure the initiates will be quite pleased with what I've swapped with their Holy Water. Here."

Tegaia poured the mysterious beverage into the goblet and handed it to Christina, who peered into it curiously. "But...don't we need the Holy Water for the ceremony?"

"I don't know whose idea it was to drink consecrated water for ceremonies, but I can tell you that it means absolutely nothing to us." Tegaia said, then she took a sip from the wineskin.

Christina took a sip from the goblet, and a familiar taste enveloped her tongue. It reminded her of the tea he father would brew when it was too cold to go outside. "How did you know I liked this tea?" Christina asked.

"I didn't know, but the drink does. We call it Nostalgiam because the taste reminds us of good times when we drink it. Some mortals that stumble upon it have called it the Nectar of the Gods. Which is absurd, since the nectar isn't something we'd just drink for no reason." Tegaia took another long draft from her wine skin. "Here Yuna, have some."

The young Goddess hopped off the shelf and quickly took the skin from Tegaia's hands. Her curiosity had completely won over her earlier disappointment.

"What do you taste?" Tegaia asked.

"Thadius's Razzy Mango Lemonade." Yuna said with a content smile on her face before taking another sip.

"I’ll be sure to ask him to brew some for me. And while we're on the subject..." Tegaia put her arm around Christina and pulled her closer.

Christina hesitated to look the Goddess in the eye. Such familiarity with a figure she often prayed to was still a bit much for her. But she met Tegaia's gaze, she was met with a stern expression.

"W-what's wrong?" Christina stuttered.

"How are things with you and Thadius?" Tegaia asked solemnly.

"W-what!? I don't-" Christina looked over to Yuna for some sort of clue as to what the Tegaia was asking her, but Yuna rolled her eyes as she made her second attempt to drain the wine skin of its contents.

"Are you two together? Do tell, Christina. Despite popular belief, Gods don't know everything."

Christina's face was now scarlet as she thought back to the few moments she shared with Thadius. "I-I think with a little more time...we could be together."

Tegaia sighed as she looked down at the young priestess. "You don't have the luxury of time, Christina. Your rivals will make their appearances soon."

"Rivals!? Who!? When!?" Christina asked. The imminent arrival of competition was completely out of her calculations.

"Keep calm. Although I say soon, you still have some time. One isn't even romantically inclined to him yet, but he has her interest. Unfortunately, the threat she poses pales in comparison to the one on the southern ontinent, seeing as she already has his heart." Tegaia said.

Christina froze. She had heard little about the woman Thadius loved, but the one fact she had counted on was that the woman was long gone.

From Christina's reaction, Tegaia could tell that Thadius had kept her in the dark about his lover. She had already come prepared to even the field. "You know that Travelers come from another world, yes?" Christina nodded. "Well, it's seems that Travelers have two bodies, but only one soul. Now, in his world, Thadius is bedridden, and when he came to this world years ago, he prayed to me. Did he tell you what he prayed for?"

Christina shook her head. "I always thought you came to him first."

"Oh, no. He came to me when I was at my lowest, when I had already given up on regaining my powers. I was in an even worse state than when you had prayed to me." Tegaia sighed heavily. Christina frowned at that, but the Goddess pat her on the knee. "Don't fret, sweetheart. Thadius came soon after, and when he did, what he asked for was forgiveness. He'd rejected his lover so that she could find happiness with another, despite the pain it would inflict on her and himself."

Christina's heart was gripped by chill as the revelation came to her. "So he left for this world, not knowing that she would follow.”

Tegaia nodded. "She followed, and after realizing that Thadius still loved her, she was furious."

"What!? Why!?" Christina asked in astonishment. Even Yuna, who was stretched out on the altar with a belly full of lemonade, looked up with interest.

Tegaia chuckled as she relived the event. "She felt that Thadius was an idiot for telling her to leave if both of them still held feelings for each other. She ask for forgiveness too, except she wanted to be forgiven in advance for striking Thadius on sight when she sees him again!" Tegaia laughed.

"That's terrible!" Christina protested with a frown.

"Even so, she's determined to do it." Tegaia said as she motioned for Yuna to hand her the wineskin.

The young Goddess sluggishly rolled off the altar and handed over the wineskin before laying down on the pew with her head in Christina’s lap. Her long white hair spread out to reveal strands of voilet, hinting at the coming of spring.

Tegaia chuckled as she watched. "This wineskin is enchanted. Did you truly think you could drink it all?” Yune just sighed in response, prompting another chuckle from the armored deity.

Christina welcomed the oppurtinity to process the startling news, and she began to run her fingers through Yuna’s hair. “What else can you tell me?” she asked.

“Her name is Rosemary, and like you, she's decided become a priestess. So you'll be competing with her in more ways than one." Tegaia replied.

"So the ceremony you missed before-"

"Was hers, yes. More?" Tegaia offered more Nostalgiam. Christina gratefully accepted.

Christina gratefully accepted, staring into her cup as she tried to picture Sister Rosemary, the woman Thadius loved. "What's she like?" she asked quietly.

"She's unlike any priestess you've ever seen, both cunning and ferocious. She poured her blood, sweat, and tears into her preparations. And when she moves on to the next step, that's when you'll need to be worried." Tegaia’s eyes narrowed as she thought back to when she first met Rosemary. The young woman had since completely outrun her expectations.

“What’s the next step?” Christina asked.

Tegaia shrugged. “I can’t be sure, but I assume she’ll start her search. She’s closing in on her goal.”

"Can't you delay her, maybe buy me some more time?" Christina asked desperately. Her heart raced with panic at the thought of Rosemary's imminent arrival.

"Christina...no." Tegaia shook her head and eyed the priestess with eyes full of disappointment. "I only came to warn you and even the playing field. She'd have caught you unawares and taken Thadius with no contest otherwise."

Tegaia’s reply had Christina crestfallen. She wasn't confident that she could sway Thadius if he still held feelings for Rosemary.

The Goddess’s expression softened as she watched her words effect. "Lucky for you, it'd take her four months to get here if she left right now, and that’s not including the time when she return’s to her world. She’s not like Thadius, who has forsaken his world altogether. So you have plenty of time. I, on the other hand, do not." She sighed as she stood up. She had spent far too much time in the mortal world.

"Are you headed back to the Heavens?" Christina asked, handing the goblet back to Tegaia outstretched hand to be refilled.

"Not for some time, I'm afraid. Many Gods that I've called friends are nowhere to be found. I’m going to see the Oracle in order to receive some insight as to where they might be. But if she can't help me..." Tegaia sighed again and shook her head, then she turned back to Christina. "It's nothing you should worry about though. You have quite the task ahead of you as it is. I trust I don't have to tell you what will happen if Thadius finds out that Rosemary is here?"

"He won't hear it from me." Christina said confidently. That was the last thing she wanted Thadius to know.

"Good." Tegaia looked down at Yuna. "Will you keep it a secret too?" she asked.

Yuna frowned. "I still remember what happened the last time you asked me to keep a secret..."

"And I intend to pay that debt in full. However, this will be for Christina, not me. I told Rosemary I wouldn't tell Thadius, but if either of you tell him, then it's out of my hands." Tegaia shrugged.

Yuna sat up and looked at Christina, who was pleading desperately with her eyes, then she looked back at Tegaia. "Okay, but I get to order whatever I want when we go out." Yuna declared.

"Deal!" Christina agreed.

"Well girls, take care. Hopefully we can chat like this again sometime soon." Tegaia said as she disappeared into thin air.

As soon as she was gone, Yuna vanished as well, leaving Christina to tell the High Priest that the ceremony could continue immediately.

When she reached the door and opened it, she found Esaa and Teta being scolded by Nigel, or at least it appeared so. Esaa couldn't stand still, her tail swishing frantically and her eyes were alight with excitement.

Teta at least looked like she was being scolded, standing properly at attention. But as Christina walked out, her attention was entirely on the door. "She's out!" she cried out, louder than anyone had ever heard her speak.

Esaa was the first to move. "Christina!" she screamed, bolting past Nigel in a great feat of feline dexterity and nearly tackling the startled priestess. "We saw her! We actually saw a real live Goddess! I mean, we didn't know who she was, but she was so cool! She came out of nowhere in all that shiny armor! Didn't she Teta!?"

"So cool..." Terra replied, pumping her fist.

"Calm down! I was just as surprised as you!" Christina laughed as she hugged friends to calm them, then she looked to the High Priest. "She’s gone now. The ceremony can continue at your word, holiness."

Nigel cleared his throat, having two initiates ignore him in the middle of a lecture was something he'd just have to let go today, in light of the divine guest. "Very well, we will continue immediately." He turned to the initiates lined up against the wall and chatting amongst themselves excitedly. "Alright now, the excitement has passed. Take your positions in front of the altar and we will continue."

The initiates and newly fledged priests and priestess hurried back into the church while glancing at Christina in wonder and awe.

After the last member of the ceremony passed through the doors, Nigel asked Christina. "Will you be returning to the ceremony? Seeing as your Goddess herself has already told you what she expects of you, I don’t think my ramblings will do you much good." he said.

"Won't there be a purity ritual? I’ve...been thinking about it, and I was hoping to take the rite as well." Christina said quietly as her cheeks flushed. Years ago, she would have taken the rite immediately, but with Thadius the picture, she was no longer certain she would be able to honor it for long.

Nigel shook his head. "We no longer perform the rite here. Young priestesses such as yourself would just become targets." he said solemnly.

"Targets? I don't understand...were they killed?" She asked.

The High Priest looked at Esaa and Teta for a few moments before looked Christina squarely in the eye. "The young women who took the rite became targets of men hoping to take the chastity of a priestess. Once we knew why they were targeted we stopped the rite altogether." He said with the stern gaze he was known for.

"Oh...I should have guessed-I'm sorry." Christina said, bowing her head.

Nigel sighed heavily, and removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. "No, I am sorry. Were I able to trust someone with running this church in my absence, I could be out there like The Red Hand, bringing the culprits to justice."

"Oh! I heard about her!" Esaa declared.

"Who's that?" Christina asked, looking from Nigel to Esaa, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"They say she can kill demons with a single punch! And they say that she wears bandages on her hand soaked in their blood! Hiya!" Esaa put up her hands and tapped Teta on the shoulder. And Teta, the foul demon, feel to the ground.

The smallest of smiles appeared on Nigel’s face as he replaced his glasses. "The tales behind the name are fanciful indeed. Her real name is Sister Rosemary, and word has it, that she is single handedly bringing to justice the men who would harm her fellow priestesses. In fact, the gossip among our sister churches is that she will be High Priestess soon." He said.

"Yes!" Esaa shouted, pumping her fist and throwing her head back. Teta mimicked her as best as she could from her spot in the floor.

Christina fell silent, and her stomach sank as the name of her dreaded rival was once again spoken in praise. Nigel didn't miss the change.

"Is everything alright?" He asked.

Christina suppressed the dread that threatened to drag her to the floor. "No...no, I just recognize the name, that's all. The Goddess told me that she was the only other priestess to have pledged to follow her." she said, trying to smile.

“It that so? Well, I suppose the priestesses of the Goddess of War ought to be somewhat aggressive...” Nigel nodded to himself, but the wide eyed Christina made him smile. “Did you think I didn’t know about the Goddess? As the High Priest, I make it my business to know about every God known, especially the ones we’re told to forget.” he said.

“O-of course!” Christina said. So far, the High Priest had surprised her on every encounter.

“Well, then I must attend the ceremony. Will you be returning as well?” Nigel asked again as he turned for the temple doors.

“No, I was actually thinking about taking my friends out to celebrate...if that’s okay.” Christina said, casting a nervous glance at Esaa and Teta.

“I don’t see a problem, but you’ll need this to show to the guards in case you’re stopped.” Nigel searched his robe and pulled out a slip of paper from his chest pocket and handed it to Christina. ”This is an official statement saying you are a priestess of Todos. Don’t lose it…” he warned.

“Yes, sir. I won’t.” Christina watched as the High Priest reached for the door, then a thought came to her. “Ah! High Priest!” she called out.

Nigel turned around, eyebrows raised. “Yes? What is it?”

Christina made an uncomfortable face. “Well...the Goddess swapped out the holy water with something the Gods call ‘Nostalgiam’. I just thought you should know. The Gods don’t think it’s important, but I thought you might.” she said quietly, but as the words came out she couldn’t help but feel like a tattle-tale.

“Well then, I have to take a sip myself once the ceremony is over. It’ll be interesting to see what the Gods drink.” Nigel nodded once to Christina before heading inside the church.

Christina blew out her breath. Today had been filled with more excitement than she could handle. She turned to her friends, expecting to see how excited they were to get a chance to go out. But when she turned, Esaa’s eyes were popping out of their sockets and her tail was standing on end. Teta was beside her, petting her in an attempt to calm her.

“Esaa!? What’s the matter!?” Christina asked in concern as she put her hands on her friend’s shoulders.

The terror in the cat girl’s eyes were real. “We’re going outside?” she squeaked.

“Of course we are! What’s wrong with that? You’ve been outside before haven’t you?” Christina asked.

“Yeah, but…” Esaa looked down at Teta.

“Travelers are outside. Travelers like cats.” Teta sighed with downcast look.

Christina looked from Teta to Esaa in confusion. The only Traveler she knew was Thadius, and he wasn’t the type to ellicit this type of fear from her friends. A fact that she would make known. “Well not all Travelers are bad.” she said, rubbing Esaa’s shoulders.

“How do you know?” Esaa asked. She was on the brink of panic

“I know because you met one not too long ago. Remember my friend Thadius? He’s a Traveler you know.” she said proudly.

“What!? For real!?” Esaa jumped in surprise.

“Yep. So don’t worry about it so much. Besides, I can protect you now. Leave it me!” Christina said, striking a pose with her hands on her hips.

Teta and Esaa exchanged looks, then Esaa’s tension slowly ebbed away. “Well, I guess...it might not be so scary.” she said as she look at Christina, then she looked further back. “But if we go, then you have to tell us who that is!” she pointed directly at the ‘Vanished’ Yuna.

Christina looked around stiffly, her ruse that she’d upheld for days was dangerously close to being blown. “I don’t see anyone...who are you talking about exactly?” Christina asked innocently.

Esaa’s eyes narrowed. “I have really good hearing, you know. I hear you talking to her sometimes, even now I can hear her belly squishing. Plus your feet snore at night sometimes, so I know something’s up!” she said, stomping her foot.

“Okay, okay! Keep it down!” Christina whispered fiercely. “I’ll tell you. But you have to keep it a secret, understand?”

“I can keep a secret! I have plenty of secrets!” Esaa said as she crossed her arms.

Teta moved next to Christina and motioned for her to bend down. “Sometimes, she licks herself instead of taking a bath.” she whispered.

“It’s not a secret if you tell it, Teta!” Esaa hissed.

“Well, now. It looks like you have no choice but to keep quiet now, huh?” Christina smiled mischievously.

“That’s not fair! What about trust!?” Esaa protested, but Christina just put her arm around her and walked towards the front temple doors.

“We’ll just have to trust each other now, won’t we?” she said as they walked outside.

@

The sun was high in the sky when they walked out, promising plenty of time for the girls to explore the city. Christina looked to the clouds, closing her eyes and letting the sun warm her skin.

’It’s good to be outside, especially after today…’ she smiled. Yet, as she reflected on her extraordinary morning, her body stiffened.

“Oh!” she suddenly shouted and turned to look back at the church doors. Her friends looked at her in concern.

“What is it?” Esaa asked nervously. She was constantly scanning the streets, and her ears twitched restlessly.

Christina stamped her foot. “I forgot to ask about the other one!” she huffed.

“Other one?” Teta looked at the door curiously, tilting her head to the side. Her pigtails swayed adorably with the motion.

“Nothing…” Christina sighed and shook her head while moving to the front to take the lead. “Come on.”

She quickly led them to the side of the church where the windows were high above their heads. The risk of anyone inside the church seeing her mysterious protector was low, and she wanted to keep it that way.

“Now remember your promises, okay? This has to be a secret!” Christina said, giving her friends one more warning look. Teta and Esaa both nodded in unison. “Alright then. Yuna, you can come out now.”

To Teta and Esaa, a young woman suddenly appeared out of thin air. She was just as pretty as Christina, with a flowing robe outfit and white-violet hair. Yet, her shorter frame contained a fierce air, which was a stark contrast to the gentle and kind Christina. With one glance at the sword on her back, and the look in her dark silver eyes that seemed to look through them, the young initiates could tell that this Yuna was undoubtedly strong.

“Wow! She looks super strong!” Esaa exclaimed, her eyes glittering. All her fear and uneasiness was temporarily forgotten in front of this little swordswoman.

Yuna nodded proudly and crossed her arms in a heroic pose. “I am strong.”

“She trained with Thadius, so she should be just as strong as he is. So while we’re out, we won’t have to worry since Yuna is our secret weapon!” Christina smiled.

Despite Christina’s words, Esaa was instantly nervous. “Is-is she a Traveler too?” she asked.

“No, but...” Christina sighed helplessly, then placed her hands on Teta and Esaa. “You shouldn’t believe everything you hear about Travelers.”

Esaa was unconvinced. “But-”

“Have you met all Travelers?” Yuna interrupted. Esaa shook her head. Seeing that, Yuna smiled as she recalled the words Thadius spoke when he defended Tegaia.“Well until you get all the facts and have actually met every single one of them, try not to think too badly of them.”

Esaa looked from Yuna to Christina, who had a comforting smile, then she looked a Teta who she’d known the longest.

“Facts first.” Teta nodded in agreement.

“T-there’s a lot of good people in the world, so there must be a lot of good Travelers too, right?” Esaa smiled weakly, succumbing to the peer pressure of her friends.

“Definitely.” Yuna nodded.

After the girls encouraged Esaa, they quickly set out to find a suitable place to eat. Christina led the way as they searched, and she refused to celebrate such an eventful day in a mediocre restaurant. Unfortunately, her standard for food had risen to an unreasonable level because of Thadius’ home cooked meals. Although Todos didn't lack for restaurants, the better cooks would most likely be cooking for the nobility, leaving only the lesser skilled cooks to the rest of the city.

“Whoa! Look! It’s an actual cat-girl!”

“Man, she’s hot. But what’s she doing this far north?”

Esaa seemed to shrink as the comments reached her ears. Stares from many males, especially Travelers, seemed to gravitate toward her. Thankfully, their eyes were quick to shift to Christina.

“Bro!! She's even hotter!!”

“And she's an initiate! Priestess is the perfect class for her!”

“Just ignore them, Esaa. Yuna and I are with you, so they can't come near you.” Christina whispered.

“Okay…” Esaa nodded meekly. Todos citizens didn't have favourable impressions for Travelers for various reasons. It was inevitable that the dark rumors spread throughout the city to the point where even those who had little contact with Travelers had prejudice against them. Esaa’s unease was deeply rooted, and it was only multiplied by the fact that Travelers were hard to distinguish from everyday people.

The four wandered around the city searching for a suitable place to eat. They passed almost a dozen restaurants after Christina turned them down for the limited food selection, while the other half-dozen were turned down by Yuna for being too dirty.

When the others fussed at the goddess for being too picky, she said ‘They can't even keep the tables clean and you guys trusts what comes out of their kitchen!?’. Christina could only shake her head at the girl who had been exposed to Thadius’ methodical cooking habits for years.

It was a few minutes past noon when the girls finally stopped at a promising venue. The sign outside the restaurant said ‘Game Grub’. Just the name was enough for them all to stop and eye the sign with a puzzled expressions.

“Game Grub? Do we get to play games inside?” Esaa asked.

Yuna shook her head. “I think this is a Traveler restaurant. I asked Thadius if he was scared of dying. He said that Traveler’s fear death like us, but for them, this world is just somewhere to play. No matter how many times they die, they can just learn from it and get stronger. It’s all a game...and they can’t lose.” she said.

They all looked at the sign solemnly. Anyone that could look at their world and call it a ‘game’ was someone to be feared. They would be tempted to do anything they wanted if they only looked at the world as a playground.

“Thadius doesn’t see it that way.” Christina said quietly.

“Of course he doesn’t.” Yuna replied with her chin raised.

Esaa glanced about restlessly off to the side. “Well, are we going in? Are we even allowed?” she asked, tensed at the thought of walking into what could possibly be a Traveler only establishment. She felt like a cat about to be dragged into a wolf den.

Just then, a group walked inside, only giving Christina and her friends a curious look as they passed. They especially looked at Yuna, whose fighting spirit immediately made her stand out from the group. Seeing the lack of suspicion on their faces, Christina motioned for the others to gather around.

“I think it’s okay if we go in. They might not all be Travelers. Besides, I think Travelers are like us and can’t tell natives apart from other Travelers. So if we go in, we’ll just have to do a little pretending.” Christina suggested as she gave the people walking in and out quick glances.

“But what do Travelers act like?” Esaa asked.

“Well…” Christina pursed her lips as she thought. “If you couldn’t die, how would you act?”

“I guess...I’d be a little happy.” Esaa replied.

“I’d be fearless.” Yuna added.

“Strong.” Teta said.

“Well then let’s be all of those. We’ll fearlessly walk in, happily eat our food, and walk out just a little bit stronger.” Christina said confidently, wrapping her arms around her friends. The others nodded in agreement, and then with Christina leading the way, the four walked into Game Grub.

To their surprise, the inside design wasn’t very different from the other restaurants. There were plenty of tables filled with people. The only major difference was that the chefs in the kitchen could be seen bustling about to prepare the meals for their guests.

Christina and Yuna gave an approving nod and went to stand behind the group that just entered and were waiting to be seated. After a few moments, it was their turn.

A hostess welcomed them warmly at a small podium. “Welcome to Game Grub! Will you be needing a table for four?” she asked Christina, who was standing at the front. Christina nodded in reply.

The hostess paused for a moment and then made a few motions with her finger in the air. “Luckily we have a few tables available. Follow me.” she smiled.

Yuna shared a knowing look with Christina before following the hostess through a throng of tables and people. There were mages with a brightly colored robes and formidable looking warriors wearing heavy armor. As they passed, many of the patrons gave them curious looks. Especially Yuna, who had broken the limits of her fighting spirit by several fold after being trained by Corban.

“Here you are.” the hostess said after leading them to an empty table. Christina and the others sat down quickly, but the young woman lingered at the table.

Esaa and Teta looked at the woman nervously. They were expecting to be caught at any second. They looked to Yuna, who was the strongest among them, but Christina was the closest to her, so she took the initiative.

“Is...there a problem?” she asked.

“Not at all. It’s just,” The hostess took a look around before coming in closer to whisper. “Your eyes are really pretty. How did you get them to glow like that? I’ve been looking everywhere online for unique eye colors, but I haven’t found any clues.”

Christina was completely caught off guard. She’d often been asked why her eyes glowed, but being asked by someone who was certainly a Traveler, she truly didn’t know how to answer without giving herself away. “Uh...”

“It’s probably some type of hidden quest, right? You don’t have to say it, I was just curious.” The hostess said with a smile, mistaking Christina’s hesitation as reluctance.

“Sorry…” Christina said, not bothering to clear up the misunderstanding. The hostess shook her head.

“It’s fine. Secrecy is kind of our thing right?” she said before passing out the menus and heading to back to the podium.

Christina let out a lengthy sigh. “This is a lot more stressful than I thought.” she grumbled. Yuna and the others couldn’t help but nod in unison before browsing the menus and seeing what the restaurant had to offer.

“She was a Traveler, right? I didn’t think they would have Travelers serving us. Aren’t they supposed to be mighty adventurers?” Esaa commented quietly from behind her menu.

“Not all of them fight, and even Travelers need coin. If master didn’t leave us some money, Thadius and I would have been poor.” Yuna grumbled while she browsed the menu like a mage studying a tome of ancient knowledge.

The others had to ask Yuna about some of the dishes that were foreign to them. Once everyone made their selections, the waitress made her timely appearance.

“Are you ready to order?” she asked.

The girls gave their order in turn starting with Christina, who ordered her first hamburger. Esaa ordered a steak with a few sides while Teta took the safe route by ordering spaghetti. When Yuna’s turn came around, the others all looked at her with curious eyes. Christina was especially curious since she felt that Yuna considered chefs other than Thadius inferior.

The scene that followed, however, left them a little speechless.

“Let’s see...I want to start off with the chicken soup to help digest the rest of the meal. Does the soup come with breadsticks?” Yuna asked. The waitress nodded. “Then I’ll have those as soon as possible please--I’m famished. For the main course, I’ll also have the steak, except I want mine well done. Now are the mashed potatoes that come with it loaded? You know, with little chunks of potatoes, vegetables, and bacon mixed in.”

The waitress remained professional as she replied,”I could ask the chef to make adjustments, but it’ll be a little extra. Is that okay?”

“That’s fine, but I’d like the stuffing as well as the potatoes to be twice the serving size. I want the gravy to come in a small bowl so I can pour it myself, and to top it off, I’d like to try the cornbread. I’ve never tasted it and a dear friend of mine strongly recommended it. All of that with a cup of lemonade…” Yuna paused and frowned at the waitress. “Do you need to write this down?”

“A bowl of veggie soup and breadsticks as an appetizer, followed by a well done steak and double servings of both ‘loaded’ mashed potatoes and stuffing with a slice of cornbread on the side. All of that served with a separate serving of gravy and lemonade to wash it all down.” the woman repeated with a small smile.

To everyone’s disbelief, Yuna merely nodded and continued. “For dessert, I’d like some apple pie. Please inform the chef that I will strictly judge the dish and that my impression of his culinary prowess hangs on it. Should it satisfy my taste, I’ll gladly pay its weight in gold.”

The waitress nodded. “Our chef enjoys challenges, so I’ll make sure he gets the message. Will that be all?”

“Yes.” Yuna smiled happily in anticipation. After the waitress walked away, she finally noticed her friends astonished looks.

“What?” she asked.

“Are you going to eat all of that?” Christina whispered.

“Of course I will. I’m really hungry after all.” she pouted, somewhat hurt.

“Okay, then.” Christina said with disbelieving eyes. She didn’t think Yuna would waste food, but she didn’t know where the young goddess would put it all.

The girls chatted amongst themselves while they waited. They whispered excitedly after seeing various people in massive armor or exotic robes.

Further down at another table, a small party of four was doing the exact same thing while looking toward their direction.

They were a party of friends that met in a nearby dungeon. With the basic formation of a priest, warrior, mage and rogue, they’ve had smooth sailing so far. Today they were simply enjoying some down time in the game.

“Look at the one with the sword. You think she maxed her fighting spirit?” the mage asked.

“Probably. Either that, or she’s leveling her Pressure.” the priest replied after taking a bite of his sandwich.

“She’s pretty cute though. I wonder if she came back to power level her friends. I haven’t seen her around here.” the bald warrior commented as his curious gaze rested on the warrior chatting away with her friends.

“Uh oh, here he goes again. You gonna try hitting on this one too Rave?” the rogue laughed. His deep scarlet leather armor seemed to burn with trapped flames.

The bald warrior, Rave, laughed. “You know me. I have to try at least.”

The priest shook his head. “She’s too young for you bro.”

“She’s playing Chaos Online, right? She’s legal.” Rave countered. Then he drained the contents of his mug and strode over to the female warrior’s table.

Yuna was obviously the first one to notice the man’s approach, and turned as he made a beeline for her.

“Pardon my interruption ladies, but when a group of beautiful young women such as yourselves walks in, I at least have to say hello.” Rave smiled at each of them. As his eyes fell on Esaa, she shuddered.

Yuna frowned after seeing her friends reaction. “It was kind of you to greet us, but my friend is terribly shy around strangers, so if you could-”

“I mean no harm.” Rave cut in. By now he was skilled at delaying rejection. “And in all honesty, I came over to talk to you.” he smiled again as he looked at Yuna.

“What did you want to talk about.” Yuna asked with a cautious glance at her surroundings. By now, many other patrons had turned their eyes to the spectacle.

Rave rubbed his head with a shaking hand. The critical moment had come. “Well...we have an extra spot in our party, and we’re looking for another warrior to clear higher level dungeons. You’re with your friends now, but maybe you’d like to join us afterwards?”

“I’m sorry. Once my brother returns, I’ll be joining him in his adventures.”

“That’s fine. We can all be friends! Right guys!?” Rave called out to his party. If time had taught him anything, it was that not extending invitations to the friends of the target was a fast track to rejection. However, everyone at his table suddenly found something else interesting to look at as they turned their heads.

Rave could only sigh at his abandonment before he turned back to the young woman. “At least let me add you as a friend! That way, after you’re free, you and your brother can come join us!”

Yuna couldn’t help but hesitate at the man’s enthusiasm. She took a another glance around the restaurant, meeting the eyes of the thoroughly entertained crowd, before once again turning to the bald warrior. “I don’t need anymore friends.” she said coldly.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to adventure with the man. It was the fact that he wanted to ‘add her’ as a friend. Thadius had long since tried and failed. She was a native of this world that Travelers saw as a game. A fact that she couldn’t reveal in the current situation.

“I know I might come off as a little strong but-” Rave reached out for Yuna’s shoulder. It was a mistake that resulted in his face being instantly pressed against the table.

The comical scene had suddenly turned hostile, but the transition was truly too fast. Some patrons were still chuckling at Rave’s imminent rejection while others were just beginning to register what happened.

“I tried to be nice, but you just won’t go away.” Yuna spoke calmly. Her strength was clearly higher than Rave’s since she was holding him to the table with one hand, despite his struggles.

When the change in atmosphere final settled, the whole room was stunned. They had all tried to gauge Yuna’s strength from her fighting spirit, but seeing her in action was another story. Rave was a Berserker over level 200. The class was known for its strength, yet he was instantly subdued with only one hand.

The first to recover were Rave’s party members. All of them stood and drew their weapons while shooting murderous glares at Yuna.

Seeing the opposing party targeting their friend with such hostility, the girls took action too. They had reacted on impulse, not worrying about where they were or the strength of the other side. Their reactions were purely based on the fact that Yuna was in trouble.

Surprisingly, Esaa, who had been the most timid since they left the temple, was the fastest. She stood up with a ferocious hissed that betrayed her gentle appearance. Teta jumped onto her chair and had her wand at the ready before she even stood up straight. Her eye were wide open in a heightened state of alertness, no movement would go unnoticed through her spectacles.

The initiates were the fastest to react, but Christina’s actions were the most impressive by far. With her heart racing with fear and uncertainty, she stood up with her friends and casted Barrier for the first time.

There were no words spoken. Not even the slightest incantation was heard when the transparent wall suddenly separated the two parties. The spell given by the Goddess of War was chantless and battle-ready at all times.

Such a rarely seen skill would obviously cause an uproar among Travelers.

“That’s Barrier! I thought there was only one priestess that could use it! Is that her!?”

“No, that’s not her. She doesn’t have the mark!”

“Dammit, I’m so jealous! I wanted Barrier but that Rosemary is too secretive!”

“This might be my chance! If I can find out what God she prayed to, I’d be rolling in gold!”

All the players in the restaurant couldn’t help but exclaim after they saw Christina cast the ‘ultra rare’ Barrier skill. Although Rosemary had been in the presence of other priests and priestesses during her own ceremony, she had prayed silently. Even those that had been lucky enough to discover that she worshipped Tegaia could only scratch their heads in wonder after asking around and coming up with no information of there ever being a Goddess with such a name. Thena’s censure had only increased in severity after her confrontation with Tegaia in the Tower of the Gods. Those that knew about Tegaia were few to begin with, and now, finding a statue of her was nearly impossible. Still, the statues that remained depicted Tegaia as the Goddess of Poverty, not the Goddess of Love, War and Humility, and there was absolutely no evidence of her being the Mother of all Creation.

So even if someone wanted to believe that Tegaia was the source of such an awesome skill, all evidence proved otherwise. The consensus was that Rosemary purposefully spread false information to keep the skill to herself. Since Barrier had such an illusive background, the uproar after seeing an unknown priestess use it, was definitely warranted.

Blocked by Christina, Rave’s party could only watch the situation. No one had actually been harmed, but their pride was another matter.

Yuna was fully aware of the hostile group behind her, and their every move was being closely monitored by her aura. She didn’t want to cause trouble, however, she had to make known that her group wasn’t to be harassed while here. As long as they could eat in peace and leave without trouble, she would be content. In order for that to happen, a display of power needed to be made.

“I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I am very hungry, and in case you don’t know what that means, allow me to enlighten you.” Yuna said solemnly. Then with deliberate slowness, she reached for her sword.

Rave’s party was on full alert, but as soon as the thought of battle crossed their minds, an unbelievably heavy pressure came crashing down. The pressure forced them back into their seats, even breathing had suddenly become an uphill battle. Unfortunately, they weren’t the only ones to experience this. Everyone in the dining area felt that monstrous pressure. Only the chefs in the kitchen were spared, for obvious reasons

Although Yuna didn’t have the Ambient Pressure like Thadius, her pressure was still broken. So even though the effects were somewhat weakened with a large number of targets, the skill relied heavily on the fighting spirit of the parties involved. The average fighting spirit of the room was only a little over 500. With Yuna’s fighting spirit in the thousands, the fact that anyone was even conscious was by her will.

The soft ringing of Yuna’s sword being drawn sounded sharp in the suffocating silence. Beads of sweat appeared on Rave’s face as the point of the sword was stabbed into the table in front of his nose.

“Being hungry makes me quite irritable, but luckily for you, I don’t like killing on an empty stomach. So I’ll let you off with warning.” Yuna declared with a sweeping glare across the room. “But if me and my friends are disturbed again, many of you will lose a life today.”

The pressure in the room increased by a fold. Those with lower fighting spirit could no longer hold up, and directly fainted into their meals.

With one last sneer, Yuna tossed Rave like a ragdoll toward his friends, sending him flying a few feet before crashing into his empty chair. Then she released her pressure and sheathed her sword, not even sending another glance in his direction.

Once Yuna disarmed, Christina and the rest hesitantly returned to their seats. Then each of them secretly sent an amazed look at her.

Yuna could only purse her lips as her cheeks flushed under their looks. She had told them before that she would be fearless, but even she hadn’t expected to suddenly threaten a room full of Travelers.

Rave and his party on the other hand, quickly finished their food and left. They wanted to vent their anger at the embarrassment they suffered, but offending a high level player was never on the agenda for today, so they could only curse under their breath and leave.

As they walked out, the waitress walked over with some soup and breadsticks.

“Well, that was certainly the most excitement we’ve had in awhile. He’s been desperately hitting on almost every girl that’s eaten here. If I were you though, I would have shoved his face to floor.” she said as she set down the food.

“I-I hope we didn’t cause too much trouble.” Christina said worriedly.

The waitress chuckled, “It’s fine. He gets put in his place most of the time anyway. It’s just that he was put down thoroughly this time.”

“Then I guess I shouldn’t feel too bad then…” Christina sighed in relief. ’I don’t know what would have happened had we got into trouble with management.’ She mentally wiped the sweat off her brow.

The waitress retreated once more and then returned after a few minutes with their meals.

To say that the food was delicious would be an understatement. After the first bite the girls were completely focused on devouring the meals in front of them. The steaks were juicy and tender, much to the pleasant surprise of Esaa and Yuna. Christina took big bites out of her burger, and her puffed out cheeks nearly sent Teta into a coughing fit due to laughter. Even the drinks were satisfying, leaving the girls wallow in the bliss of being fully fed.

After the main dish was served, Yuna’s apple pie came. The crisp cinnamon crust and the golden filling stuffed with apples caught the eye of everyone at the table. The chef had obviously risen to the challenge and put in an extra effort to impress. Yuna dug in with her fork and hastily tried a bite.

“’So...good.’” she sighed in amazement. She had some doubts about how good the pie was going to be, but that one bite, and the doubt cleared like smoke in the wind. The sweet tanginess of the apples melding with the buttered cinnamon crust was definitely worth its weight in gold.

After such a tasty meal, the girls were ready to head back to the temple. But before that, Yuna insisted on giving the pastry chef his reward face to face. The waitress had already anticipated it and quickly brought out a tall, chubby man.

“I take it you enjoyed my pie. I worked extra hard on it you know!” he said with a smile.

“It was absolutely scrumptious!” Yuna’s eyes lit up, taking out a small coin purse. Although Thadius handled their expenses, he still gave her a generous amount of pocket money.

Seeing the amount taken out, the chef’s eye lit up. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Feel free to come back and ask for BigBuffJohn!”

“Then I’ll come back soon. I’ll be expecting something good next time too!” Yuna smiled.

GOURMET OF THE GODDESS

The fallen goddess Yuna will return occasionally to try new desserts you’ve prepared. She’ll pay for each helping in its weight in gold if she enjoys it. If not, the quest will no longer trigger.

DIFFICULTY: Continuous Quest

REQUIREMENTS: Must have Cooking Advanced or above.

REWARDS: Exp. + Gold for every passing serving

BigBuffJohn’s voice caught in his throat as he looked at Yuna, but she chuckled playfully and put a finger to her lips with a ‘Shhh’. Then, she promptly left with her friends.

After the girls left, the waitress gave the chef a curious look. “What’s with your face? Did she trade you something?” she asked. She had been busy clearing the table, but she was able to see his shocked expression.

“Yeah, I got something quite good!” BigBuffJohn laughed and strolled back to the kitchen with his head high. It wasn’t everyday that his food was praised by a goddess.

---

The quartet left Game Grub at a brisk pace. It was well into the evening now. The orange light cast long shadows on the city streets and the wind carried a chill from the darkening alleys.

“Come on. We need to get back before curfew, our we'll be in trouble.” Christina said as she took lead. No one argued with her or asked her what she meant by ‘trouble’. All of them could feel the eyes following their every move as they headed back to the temple.

As they walked, Yuna brought up the rear. She spread out her fighting aura to the limit and kept tabs on any individuals that could be following them. Although she could use Vanish and protect the others from the shadows, she knew that after her display in the restaurant, her presence was a major deterrent to anyone that had any ill intention.

None of them spoke a word for while. Christina was wholeheartedly focused on finding the fastest route back, while Teta and Esaa were lost in their own thoughts.

Yuna was silent for an entirely different reason, and her expression grew darker with each passing minute. Every now and then, she would fall behind a bit, only to quicken her steps a moment after.

In the end, she walked up next to Christina.

“Christina.” she whispered. “I don't want to scare you, but you'll need to use that skill again very soon. You're being followed.”

Christina’s steps faltered, but the moment they did Yuna linked their arms together.

“Don’t stop walking, I don't want them to get suspicious.” Yuna said, then leaned her head against Christina’s arm. By now, the initiates behind them had sensed something was amiss and walked up beside the two. Esaa, with her superb hearing, naturally caught every word, and she was now struggling to keep her tail lax.

“A-are you sure?” Christina asked quietly. She suddenly felt as if the shadows around them had turned several shades darker.

Yuna nodded. “I fell back a few times to give them an opportunity to come after me, but every time they inched forward a bit. I think they are only interested in you. Esaa and Teta weren't with us when we came to the city.”

Now even the light seemed to dim as the blood drained from Christina’s face. “You mean it's…” the words caught in her throat. The image of a man garbed in black, glaring at her with bright crimson eyes, suddenly surfaced to her mind.

“Thadius said it would be at least four days before he could look for us. It's been almost a week, but this is our first time outside since then. We may have made some enemies back there, but those guys know my strength. So who else would have a bad impression of us? It's him, I can feel it.” Yuna explained. She could sense that the presence that stalked them from the rooftops was the same one that had attacked Thadius when they first entered the city, and her eyes lit up.

“What do we do?” Esaa asked after linking with Christina’s other arm with shaking hands.

Yuna's eyes narrowed, and small smile spread on her face. "We fight!" she whispered fiercely. Her voice was hushed, but the confidence and conviction was hard to mask.

Christina's heart jerked violently hearing the goddess' reply. She had anticipated that a fight would break out, but now that it was confirmed, she shuddered.

'Fear is okay, but running from a fight...I won't do it!' Christina brought her thoughts to order and clenched her teeth. If she had the courage to stand up to Travelers in a room full of them, she knew she at least had the courage to fight one against one.

Christina looked down at Yuna, the soft glow in her eyes now a seemed sharp and bright. "My Barrier can stop any attack, but the strength of the attack will determine the drain on my mana. If the attack is too strong then-"

"You'll only need to block once, then leave the rest to me." Yuna said, then she suddenly let go and turned down another street. Before Christina and the others could even register what happened, Yuna waved happily and then disappeared into the shadows.

Not even second had past after her disappearance when her voice from behind them, "Keep walking."

They all continued on the path back to the temple, but the mood was tense. Every minute that passed without incident only multiplied the girls anxiety.

Finally, Yuna's voice whispered hurriedly from behind them, "Get ready Christina."

"Ready..." Christina voice trembled in reply. She didn't even need the warning as a chill crawled up her spine before Yuna could even finish her sentence. Every hair on her body suddenly stood on end and she was deafened by the thundering of her pulse. Esaa's quivering arm around hers suddenly seemed very still as a numbing sensation spread through her limbs. It was the first time in her life that she knew, without a doubt, that someone wanted her life.

"Now!" Yuna shouted.

Christina quickly raised her hand, and a translucent wall instantly separated heaven and earth, followed by a harsh ringing sound coming from a dagger that was pointing directly at her head. A moment too slow, and she would have died.

Christina face paled as her barrier hungrily drank her mana. Crouched above her, a pair of neon crimson eyes were opened wide in surprise, and a face, hidden in shadows, twisted into a sneer. "I knew something was funny about you! But your Barrier isn't going to stop me!"

The assassin raised his dagger to stab once more, only to be sent flying by an unforeseen force crashing into the wall of a nearby shop. He picked himself up off the ground in a flash and scanned for the one who had attacked him. He immediately found the young woman armed with a longsword standing on the barrier. He had specifically waited for her to leave before he attacked since he could feel the same oppressive fighting spirit from her that he could feel coming from the guy that killed him early, but it looked like he miscalculated. The warrior had never left.

“It takes quite the coward to attack an unarmed woman.” Yuna’s eyes narrowed.

“She’s can’t be simple if she’s in a party with you freaks, and obviously I was right. A priestess with Barrier? Definitely not simple!” SmartYeti grit his teeth in anger. He had wanted to assess the capabilities of every member of the party before getting his own party together to have a showdown. He relied heavily on stealth to fight, so he wanted to get his friends to keep Thadius occupied so that he could stab him in the back. He could assume that the female warrior was just as strong from her fight spirit, but the priestess was still a mystery. Until today.

’A Priestess with Barrier won’t be easy to kill. Especially with those Warriors beside her!’ he cursed to himself silently.

“You dared to attack my friend thinking her an easy target! I’ll show it’s not so easy to get past me.” Yuna jumped down and took the Dragon’s Tail stance. “Come! Yuna of Yune will be your opponent!”

SmartYeti quickly leaped back and shook his head. “I don’t feel like fighting any freaks today. Stealth!” he shouted as he activated his skill. He knew better than to underestimate either of the warriors from this party. His first thought was to maintain distance and use his skills to make his escape.

“Hmph, trying to hide from me with only this level of skill is useless. I’m the champion of hide and seek!” Yuna cried and rushed directly to the assassin. She casually sent out a thrust directly for his heart.

’What!?’ SmartYeti barely parried the thrust with his dagger. Not only was his stealth seen through, a ten second penalty cooldown had been applied. Even if the girl was unexpectedly strong, he never expected his stealth would be rendered useless.

“Tch! One with Shadows!” he muttered as he used the force from Yuna’s thrust to jump into a dark alley.

Yuna rushed to follow until she felt the assassin’s presence disappear and appeared behind her, aiming a dagger directly at her neck.

“Yuna!” the girls cried out.

’I see him!’ Yuna smirked and ducked the Backstab, then pivoted on her back foot and sent her elbow direct to his sternum. With his momentum stopped, she reached up for the arm above her. If she managed to grab ahold, she could easily break his arm.

’Won’t let you!’ he screamed in his heart. With every ounce of vigor he had, he brought his legs up and kicked off Yuna’s back to separate them.

Yuna saw through the maneuver quickly and rolled forward to weaken his kick. Then, she sprang up toward SmartYeti with a kick of her own. The speed of this approach was many times faster than what it had been before.

“What is this speed!? Are you a ninja!?” SmartYeti complained aloud while he drifted in midair. As an assassin, he prided himself on his speed as it is the bread and butter of rogue type classes, but the speed he just witnessed made him break out into a cold sweat. He had kicked off of her, but she was up and ready to attack him before he could even touch the ground.

“A ninja? Maybe!” Yuna chuckled happily as she closed in. In an instant, she was close enough to see his face twisted in rage. From below, she swung her sword and executed Dragon Claw. As the roar of a dragon sounded out, SmartYeti desperately tried use double jump.

“Too slow!” Yuna roared as she flicked her wrist to send the Dragon Claw raking across SmartYeti’s chest.

Blood sprayed as the assassin flew crashed into the wall once more. Being an assassin, he didn’t want to wear heavy armor since it would require him to invest into strength. However, as prompts started popping up and assessing his damage, he was truly regretting that he didn’t even have a chest plate for protection.

He scowled at Yuna and said, “You win, okay? Let’s just leave it at this.”

“You want me to let you off after you attempt to attack my friend? Had I not been here, you would have killed her, so I’ll be taking your life instead.” Yuna declared as she pointed her sword.

SmartYeti stood shakily and slowly widened the distance. “You kill me, and I’ll make sure my Hall of Shadows doesn’t let you get another good night’s sleep. Killing me once is fine, but killing me twice would be an embarrassment! The guild would definitely put out a contract on you to even the score!”

Yuna’s eyes narrowed. She could tell that the assassin spoke truth, but she had the sneaking suspicion that he wouldn’t just let their conflict end today either way. “Let them come.” she said solemn and began to sprint.

SmartYeti had already prepared. “Life Severing!” he screamed as he stabbed forward with his dagger drenched in his own blood. Life Severing was a move that did damage based on how injured the assassin was. Should they find themselves in a desperate situation such as this, killing the target was still possible. As with many of the assassin’s moves, its purpose was to aim for the opponent's life in one strike.

What SmartYeti didn’t expect, was that when Yuna reached his dagger at that insane speed, it went right through her like a ghost. His scalp went numb at the sight.

The real Yuna had hid her presence and rushed to the side to jump off the wall. With savage glint in her silver eyes, spun her entire body and unleashed a Slash a full strength.

SmartYeti could only stare as a flash of light passed beside him, followed by a burning pain all the way from his left shoulder to his waist. In the next instant, he received a prompt saying he had been dealt a mortal blow and his screen went black.

Yuna landed nimbly and looked down at the assassin with a small smile. Thadius had face this same foe, and now, so had she.

Christina came up a moment later, holding the hands of Teta and Esaa who had their eyes closed. From their pale complexions, one could imagine that such a bloody scene was quite new to them.

“Is...he dead?” Christina asked, trying to keep her voice even.

“He’s dead.” Yuna replied solemnly, then she turned to look at Teta and Esaa with a wry smile. “Come on. Let’s get back before it gets dark. That’s when the really bad people come out.”

Christina shuddered at what Yuna’s words implicated and tugged on Teta and Esaa’s hands to hurry them along. Without anymore sudden events, the girls came in sight of the Temple.

Yuna used Vanish before reaching the temple where she would have to keep quiet to avoid detection. She walked toward Christina and whispered, “What do you think would have happened if I hadn’t been with you today?”

The color drained from Christina’s face. She had been thinking about just that the whole time after the battle. All she had for her protection right now was Barrier, and that wasn’t something that could be used infinitely. She could only weakly admit, “I would have died.”

“Do you think the Red Hand would have died?” Yuna pressed.

Christina grit her teeth as her eyes started to mist. She had also made this comparison countless times in the past few minutes. If the Red Hand, Rosemary, was strong enough to have her name spread to another continent, then would she need to fear a single assassin? Christina truly didn’t think so, and being found wanting when compared to the woman who was Thadius’ lover, stabbed at her heart mercilessly.

Watching Christina on the verge of tears, Yuna sighed, “There is a reason why Thadius wants you to learn how to protect yourself. I’m not trying to be mean. You know that, right?”

“I know.” Christina nodded.

Esaa, who had been listening in, tightened her grip on Christina’s had. “You did a lot more than we could Christina, so don’t be too sad. We’ll all get stronger together, right Teta?” she said as she looked to Christina’s other side. There was no reply, so everyone’s gaze turned to the tiny initiate.

Her head was down, and she was staring at her hand with a fierce intensity. Every so often, she would wiggle her fingers and grumble. The others all became curious as to what would have her so focused.

“What’s got you showing such a serious face, huh?” Christina asked, gently squeezing the tiny hand.

“I think...it was like this?” Teta muttered under her breath. Suddenly, above her hand, a small transparent disk materialized. The others immediately stopped and gaped at the disk. It bore a striking resemblance to the skill Christina was just bestowed by a god.

“I did it!” Teta cheered as she watched the small disk, but it disappeared soon after.

“Teta, what did you do?” Christina asked.

When the Teta turned, her little pig-tails swung in the air. Yet, as she looked at the other’s faces, especially Yuna’s, who had even lost her concealment because her concentration was broken, her triumphant smile slowly turned to wide-eyed fear.

“Did I do something bad?” she asked tentatively.

Christina quickly looked around. Once she saw the coast was clear, she knelt down and gave Teta a hug. “You didn’t do anything wrong, okay? You just have to make sure that no one else but us sees what you just did. Even when you practice it, it can only be by yourself or around us! If you show anyone else, they might take you far away. Do you understand?”

“Okay.” Teta said meekly.

’Does she really not know how significant it is to do what she just did? Or...has it happened more than once!?’ Christina’s thoughts were in chaos, and when she caught sight of Yuna’s strange expression behind her, a sense of dread suddenly sprouted in her heart. It had only confirmed that what they just witnessed could not be known to anyone else. It was akin to stealing power from the gods.

“Come on. It’s been a long day. It’s time to get some sleep.” Christina pulled herself together and lead the way back while Yuna vanished behind her.

@

---

Coast of Whispers, Naleng Empire, Western Continent

On the western edge of the West Continent lies the Coast of Whispers. It was named by the first king of Naleng when his armies, having just conquered the continent, stumbled upon an entire field of flowers with colorless, translucent petals stretching for miles along the coast. As the king walked through the field under the cool light of dawn, the flowers seemed to call out to them as they swayed in the ocean breeze. So beautiful was the sight, that the king forbid settlement of the land, saying that the flowers reminded him of his wife. From that point on, the flower was known as Lover’s Whisper with the coast overlooking the sea being named after it.

A structure has long since invaded the virgin field. A gigantic cylinder of pure, snow-white stone looms on the coast. With no windows or doors of any kind, the tower remains a mystery to the multitude of seafarers that sail past. Yet the people of Naleng shudder at the sight of it and mention its name only in the darkest corners of their home.

Eden, the guild house of Paradise.

Within, a cloaked figure slowly climbed the central stairwell. Glowing crimson eyes were the only visible feature under the black hood because of his pitch-black skin, and not even the dying light of holy fire dared to touch him. Torches lit with the bright white flames flickered and died in his wake, drowning the stairwell in chilling darkness.

As he ascended to the top floor, he traced his fingertips along the walls, leaving streaks of taint on the stone as the voices of his guild members reached his ears.

"Enough Hungloe!" a voice cried out. "We've had enough of your excuses! We need to figure out how to deal with this wanna-be butler that's cock-blocking us! But whenever we come to see the Guildmaster, all we get is you!? Where is he!?"

The sounds of hooves shifting uncomfortably, echoed down the stairwell. "I've notified Lord Magnum of your problems, and as soon as I get a reply I'll relay it to you. But until then, we can try to come up with a solution ourselves."

"No need, Hungloe, I'm already here." Magnum said. His double layered voice carried out into the room as he emerged from the stairwell.

The top floor of Eden was a central meeting place for the guild. It was were all events and meetings of importance took place. The circular room had an engraved mural wrapped around the room, depicting scenes of lust, greed, and violence. The long-table in the center of the room was made of ghostwood, resembling glass as the sunlight shined through it from the enchanted roof.

Several guild members seated at the table were stunned into silence. The centaur, Hungloe, was the only one with a relieved expression. He bowed low, with his black horns and burgundy pelt, glistening in the light. "Lord Magnum! I thank you for coming all the way here! I-"

"Shut the fuck up." Magnum said with a glare, silencing Hungloe as well. Then he began to walk around the room, casting shadows of his footsteps that slowly burned away in the sunlight. He admired the mural for a moment, cupping his hand around the breast of woman writhing in ecstasy, before he turned to the table.

"When I created this guild, it was so that people who were unable to find outlets for their...tastes could come together with like-minded individuals and enjoy the game. So they could play in this glorious sandbox that Sonsoft has provided us, without fear of being persecuted or ostracized." He said quietly, yet the subtle baritone carried his voice across the room.

"The only rule I established -the only rule- was that you stick to the bots. Because no matter what you do, if you stick to the bots, no one cares. Yet here I am, surrounded by rapists..." Magnum sighed heavily.

"But you-" one of the men started. He looked to be the youngest in the room, with barely any hair on his chin.

"What about me!?" Magnum roared, walking through the table to stand next to the young man who went quiet at his approach. "Finish your sentence! I recognize your voice from stairwell, so I know you don't have trouble speaking your mind!"

"H-how can you talk when you're even worse than we are." the young man stuttered as he eyed his comrades. "I mean, all of us are Chaotic players, but you're the only Diabolical player I've seen. You do whatever you want like we do, so why-"

The young man's sentence was cut short as his head was smashed into the table with demonic strength. The sound of his skull cracking against the transparent table was a rude awakening for those that witnessed it.

"Now, where was I?" Magnum asked as he shoved the corpse aside and used the chair to step onto the table. "Ah, yes. I was talking about rapists." he said as he began to pace the length of the table. "Unlike you stupid fucks, I am a law abiding citizen. Meaning anything and everything I do in-game stays in the game. Any bot I fix my eye on is fair game because a crime cannot be committed against code...anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional. "

The room darkened as Magnum spoke. Shadows grew darker on the mural, and one could hear whispers coming from every dark corner.

"I used to have a nice house on the summer lands of the Sigurd Kingdom, filled with bots that waited on me hand, knee, and foot. Unfortunately, once the alignment system came into place, I was no longer able to touch them for long without killing them. And I find it a pity to waste a good bot." Magnum continued. The sunlight in the room returned to its former strength as he calmed. "So I thought I'd try my hand at being a drug lord instead. Nothing wrong with having a little money right?" He stopped in front of a bald man and commanded, “Ask me what happened to the house."

"W-what happened to the house?" the man stuttered quickly.

"What happened!? Oh, man! You won't believe this shit! I'm logged out watching a Centurions game, bawling -again- over the absence of the man who could only have been Jesus in shoulder pads, and a breaking news report interrupts it." Magnum glared down at the man. "Then I see your face on the screen, along with a few of your buddies, getting ready to have a go at a Traveler on live television with the 'P' on your neck in plain view.

"Shortly after, Paradise became the Guild of criminals, and a witch hunt was started in-game while Sonsoft got caught in a shit storm I-R-L." The room darkened again as Magnum’s face contorted in rage. "And while I was away, Marius, the Arch-Paladin himself, at the head of the entirety of Justice, set upon my little home-away-from-home and burned it to the ground. The bots that were loyal to me were killed while the others were set free..."

The man, suddenly fearing for his life, attempted to flee for the stairwell. But as he stood, a hand as black as the darkest night grabbed him by the face and lifted him clear off the floor. As the taint spread across his skin, his screams reverberated around the room.

"You ruined my fun!" Magnum snarled while he dangled the man by the head. The screams continued for only a few more seconds before the man lost consciousness. "Tch. Saved by the system." he muttered, dropping the man instantly. Then he turned to the remaining men who were seated. "I hope you can imagine what mood I'm in after having lost my bots and having my drug lord fantasy interrupted by your bitching!"

The men recoiled from his furious gaze. Even Hungloe, who was used to such outbursts, cringed.

"Make no mistake, I didn't come all the way here to solve your problems. I came here to rant about mine, and I hope you don't think any of you bitches, save for Hungloe, are going to leave here alive!" Magnum roared. The shadows on the wall swirled and snarled in unison.

"My Lord Magnum! I ask your mercy for a moment more. I have a gift that I think will find suitable!" Hungloe called out.

Magnum raised an eyebrow. "What is it? I'm not in the mood for bullshit today." he threatened.

"I found someone I believed to be a Sonsoft developer, and I found an extraordinary girl in his hide-away. I think she's one of the custom NPCs we talked about." Hungloe said.

The sunlight returned in full force and the rage the Guildmaster displayed could no longer be found. "You found a dream-bot?" he whispered in astonishment.

"I believe so, sir." Hungloe nodded in earnest.

"Well? Did you grab it or not?" Magnum asked as he quickly jumped down from the table.

With a smug smile, Hungloe pressed a camouflaged button on the wall and a cage rose up from the floor beside him. Inside, was a naked young woman, with short raven hair and snow-white skin. Her every curve was voluptuous, with wide hips giving way to a generous but supple bust. She had a small chin, accentuated by soft-pink lips, but if anything about her was to be called unreal, it would be her eyes. They were colorless, but sparked like diamonds in the morning sun.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me..." Magnum breathed as he crouched beside the cage.

The young woman looked around the room, glanced at Hungloe, then turned to face Magnum curiously. "Hello..." she said softly. The pure sound was a drastic change to the booming voice that shook the walls only moments ago, and there wasn’t an ounce of fear to be found

Magnum head snapped to Hungloe. "Doesn't it know where it is!?"

"She knows..." Hungloe smirked knowingly.

"Well don't leave me in fucking suspense, bro! What's so special about it?" Magnum took another long look at woman. "Besides the obvious..." he finished.

"Well when I had a talk with the developer, he told me that she's a masochist, as well as a nymphomaniac."

"No way..." Magnum whispered at he started at the miracle in the cage. Then he gave Hungloe a questioning look. "Did you..."

"No one's touched her since she came into my possession. She's done all the touching herself." Hungloe chuckled.

"Well, I can-" Magnum paused as he caught movement at the table. A few of the men had moved to get a better look. "Sit your asses down!" he commanded. The men immediately moved back to their seats. They could not escape unnoticed, and logging out would leave their bodies to all sorts of hazards.

"Are you, perhaps, Magnum-sama?" the woman asked, her breasts squeezing against the bars as she grasped hold of them. Magnum's jaw nearly fell to the floor. "Mr. Loe told me to always say Magnum-sama, does it sound strange?" she asked with her head tilted to the side.

"Not at all." Magnum answered before turning to his second in command. "Bravo, Hungloe. Brav-fucking-o.” he clapped. “Now open it, I’ll take your word on it being a nympho, but that won't mean a damn thing if it can't take the pain."

Hungloe nodded, pressed the button again to open the doors cage. As soon as it was, Magnum snatch the woman by the throat. The spread of the taint was immediate., feeding on fears, pain, and injuries of the victim.

The woman cried out in surprise and pleasure as tendrils stretched to claim every inch of her skin. But in moments, the corruption slowed to a crawl, and the woman eyes were rolled back ecstasy.

"What!?" Magnum frowned in confusion, reaching a hand between her thighs. The woman shivered from the touch. "Well I'll be damned!" he laughed as he dropped her to the ground and shook the moisture from his hand. Then he walked over to the nearest man and wiped his hand on the man's shoulder. "I'll take it, Hungloe. Does it have a name?"

The woman stood shakily, and bowed. "You can call me whatever you like, Magnum-sama." she said sweetly. Her entire body was flushed pink.

"Then...I'll call you Victoria. It's classy." Magnum said happily, then he turned his attention back to the members sitting at the table. "In light of the gift I've received today, I'll cancel your death sentences. And in my generous mood I'm also willing to leave you all with a tip since...what was the butlers name again?" he asked Hungloe.

"Jeeves." Hungloe replied.

"Since Jeeves has officially cancelled your pussy on-demand subscriptions, I recommend you raise your charm stat and get yourself a botfriend like Hungloe. He's got some nudist-beastiality-dating-SIM thing going on." he suggested, motioning toward the centaur. Or, if that's still too much work, you can start up a sex club like our boys down in Hammerrun. But I wouldn't actually go to Hammerrun since last I heard, there was some crazy bitch putting boots-to-asses trying to expose it. So it probably won't be too long before it's gone. Good advice right?" Magnum finished.

The men nodded in unison. By now they were just happy that they wouldn't be killed.

"Good, now get the fuck out." He commanded. The men nearly knocked each other over trying to get to the stairwell. They'd seen enough of their Guildmaster for one day.

When the last member descended down the stairwell, the room grew darker than it ever had before.

"Look, I know you're upset-" Hungloe started, but Magnum wouldn't hear it.

"Balthazar..." he called out.

At his summoning, two colossal hands rose from the ground and pinned the centaur against the wall, causing severe bruising from the mural. Victoria jumped in surprise.

"I was upset, Hungloe, but now I'm just extremely disappointed." Magnum shook his head and sighed and turned to face the centaur. "One of those bots was pregnant...did you know that was even possible? Well, I guess you wouldn't, unless you went after your own kind."

As Magnum paced, taint from the demonic hands gradually spread, turning the centaur's pelt ashy gray. "I'm sorry, Magnum! I swear I am."

"It's fine. I didn't care about the bot, but I was robbed of an interesting opportunity. By who? The baldy. Which is why I killed him, and will continue to kill him on sight from today onwards. Not only did his actions lead to the destruction of my summer home, It's the principle of the fact that his actions also lead to the death of the mother of my child." Magnum shrugged, then his crimson eyes hardened. "You, on the other hand, had the responsibility of maintaining order in my absence. An order at which you failed!" he bellowed.

"I know! I know it! Argh!! And I have no excuse!" Hungloe cried out as the corruption spread.

Meanwhile, Victoria crouched down and crawled over to Magnum, steadily trying to touch his hand.

At the touch of cool fingers tracing the back of his hand, Magnum looked down at the naughty girl that was using him to pleasure herself.

"Stop that! Read the mood!" He chuckled as he playfully swatted her hand away. Then he sighed as looked at the subordinate that presented him with his new toy. "Put him down." he commanded the hands.

The demon withdrew at once, leaving the weakened Hungloe to smack into the ground on the verge of death. He looked up groggily as Magnum stood over him.

"I'm going back to Todos They'll have run out of supply by now. Who's nearby that can provide me with the muscle for redistribution?" he asked.

"LongFingers...Cannibal" Hungloe said as he struggled to get his legs beneath him.

"The match made in hell? No thanks. I don't want LongFingers anywhere near me. Who else?" Magnum questioned.

"I think...Dr.Cutty?" Hungloe shook his head to clear the remnants of the pain.

"We had a doctor?" Magnum frown.

"He's the serial killer..." Hungloe groaned as he stood.

"Oh, yeah! I remember him now! Yeah, tell him to meet me there. I can't have a drug empire without good muscle."

"I notify him at once." Hungloe bowed.

"Good.” Magnum said as he looked back. "Time to go Victoria." He said as he held out his hand. When she reached for it, he pulled her and shipped her up into his arms. His hands grasped her tight as he put his lips to hers.

Victoria was panting before Magnum let her catch her breath. "God, I love this game!" he said, then he descended into the shadows of the stairwell.